If you want to make someone listen to you - look into their mouth

Scientists from the University of Freiburg discovered that eye contact may not always affect interlocutors and convince them of something. On the contrary, if a person is skeptical, the eye contact can lead to misunderstanding and even conflicts.

In his study, Professor Francis Chen and her colleagues used the equipment that analyzed the directions of movement of the human eye. The scientists were trying to figure out how eye contact could affect the speaker's opinion.

The study showed that the look straight in the eyes could help only if the interlocutors initially developed a trustworthy relationship. In other cases, a closer look in the eyes raises suspicion. A person may assume that he is being intimidated. In one experiment, the researchers discovered an unusual pattern. It is easier for one person to convince another one of something, if the person is looking into another person's mouth while speaking.